If you are a job seeker looking for work or if you have recently filled a position, then chances are that you have had previous experience of working with a recruitment company. But did you know that many of these organizations now use cloud computing to streamline their services?
This has benefits for the user, for business owners and for potential employees. Many recruitment companies are small and agile, with many working outside the traditional 9-5 and speaking to candidates during after-work hours. Accordingly, recruiters need remote access to data when and where it’s needed – which is why the introduction of the cloud to the industry has proved so valuable.
What is the cloud?
Chances are that you have used Facebook or Gmail or SkyDrive in the past. If so, you may not have realised it, but you are already a part of the expanding world of cloud computing. This service, often packaged as Software as a Service (SaaS), is incorporated into our professional and personal lives. Put simply, cloud computing is where data is stored on and able to be accessed from remote servers. It is a complex process under the hood, but not for recruiters, who are able to access data integral to them getting job roles filled anywhere and at any time, as long as they have access to an internet connection.
How does this affect the recruiter, and the job seeker?
Access on demand:
Because cloud computing allows access to software or data from any location where there is an internet connection, recruiters can work diligently to find roles for potential employees and match them to suitable roles. This creates a more streamlined approached that ultimately pays off for job seekers.
Improved speed:
Did you consider the amount of work that goes into matching candidates to the many roles out there or the myriad number of updates that are being made to recruitment companies’ databases on a daily basis? Well, it’s a lot. The cloud is designed to integrate and augment data, meaning that it will not disrupt work-flow or, ultimately, prohibit your career progression.
Candidate data:
The ability for recruiters to search a large amount of data with ease and to find and compare candidates faster is vital. This makes searches of “big data” relevant and targeted. This is extremely important if employers are to be matched to the right candidates, and vice versa, with the improved continuity and connectivity provided by cloud computing services such as SaaS creating a more efficient workflow.
Innovation and customisation:
Through systems such as SaaS there is the ability to customise the system according to the specific requirements of a recruitment company. Seen as the sector is split into so many diverse areas this is essential for improving the speed and results of filling available roles. Scalability no longer poses a problem for recruitment firms of any size, resulting in tangible results for candidates and businesses.
A global market:
The remote nature of the cloud means that data can be accessed from just about anywhere, which is becoming more and more important as the recruitment industry expands to be a much more global entity. For job seekers looking to move into job markets abroad this is a benefit that should be seen as an exciting prospect.
You need to interact with the cloud too
If you are successful in getting a job then chances are that your new role will involve the use of cloud computing to some degree. By becoming comfortable with such technology and taking the time to learn what options are out there, a marked improvement is likely to be seen in how you interact with such “big data”. Ultimately, the best thing you can do is be aware of and do all you can to familiarise yourself with this developing technology.
About the Guest Post Author:
This guest post is provided by Nick John, the managing director of FCP Internet Limited, which provides Evolve recruitment software to the recruitment and employment sectors in order to streamline the hiring process.